On Saturday, August 26, 2023, a man who is yet to be identified was allegedly shot dead by soldiers in the Lagos mainland neighbourhood of Ebute Meta/Otto.
His death occurred after an altercation with three boys who were purportedly omo onile (landowners).
It is a sad incident and now it is drawing so much attention.
According to reports, the soldiers were sent in to protect some Chinese workers who were performing maintenance work alongside the railway tracks, but some local teenagers attempted to halt the work.
A source in the area told Punch that the boys were always having issues with the construction workers.
Dying In The Hands Of Soldiers
“The Chinese workers have stopped using the police because they feel like the police could not handle the boys. So, they brought soldiers,” the source said.
The Lagos State Police Command Spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, told the Punch that the Railway Command was in charge of the area.
“It’s not under our jurisdiction but that of the Railway Command.”
A source in the police command who confirmed the incident to the publication, expressed displeasure over the continued atrocities allegedly being committed by soldiers in Lagos.
“It happened around 1:00p.m. in the Ebutte Meta/Otto area. It is becoming too much. We can’t continue like this. I also have my family in Lagos.
“Will people just be dying in the hands of soldiers anyhow? It has to stop.
“Whenever they come out for that kind of mission, they don’t wear tags, so you can’t identify or trace them,” the police source said.